Larson, was stripped of his scholarship this past spring after he failed to meet rules and regulations Donovan had put in place for him. However, he had decided to remain with the Gators while paying his own way, an even participated in Florida's annual media day two weeks ago.

“After a lot of careful thought, I have decided that I need to place my focus on my personal life and my academics,' Larson said in a statement. "I really appreciate Coach Donovan and the whole staff here at Florida for the support they have given me, and that made this decision even harder.”

Larson's time at Florida - and before he arrived - has been troubled. He was allowed to join the team three years ago following legal trouble he encountered in high school. Then in 2011, he was arrested outside a St. Augustine bar on charges he attempted to rob a vehicle. The charges were later reduced to misdemeanor trespassing.

But Donoan said two weeks ago that his decision to remove Larson's scholarship did not have to do with any legal problems, but stemmed more from his failure to commit to the program and the things he needed to do to improve both as a player and person.

“I know this was a difficult decision for Cody,''Donovan said today. "He has made great strides in his personal growth, and I’m very proud of him for that. All of us here wish him the best as he moves on from our team.”

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Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes and UCF Knights fans, welcome to the Sunshine State blog for all your news about your favorite college teams. It's written by the staff of the Tampa Bay Times. We invite your comments and participation.